Garment display device



Nov. 15, 1932.

J. W. LONEY V GARMENT DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1929 Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN w. LONEY, or BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrsnon TO 0. A. MILLERTREEING A MACHINE COMP NY, or PORTLAND, MAINE, A oon-PonArIon F MAINE A GARMENT DISPLAY DEVICE Application fii daanuar e, 1929. Serial No. 331,259.

This invention relates to devices for displaying. garments and is herein'illustrated embodied in a'device designed to be utilized for the display of hosiery. V

Forms intended to simulate the shape of a human foot have for a long timebeen utilized for the display of hosiery in show windows and the like and commonly are made with the bottom of the foot portion so nearly flat that the form will stand erect if care is taken in placing it in position. The forms are quite readily upset, however, and if upset may in the Window display knock over other forms in ten-pin fashion, leaving the window in an untidy and a generally wrecked condition. This is particularly true if the forms are made for a display of womens hosiery and as a consequence are provided with a substantially upright leg portion in addition to the foot portion.

When it is desired to utilize forms such as these for the displayof hosiery alone, without inserting the form in. a shoe, it is necessary to provide for the retention of theform in a natural upright position under any of the varied conditions found instore windows as well as upon the counters in the stores themselves. The problem is very substantially accentuated by the necessity of-using such forms for the display of sheer, silk hosiery, such as chiffon hose, in which even a slight abrasion of the material will be sufficient to ruin the stocking. I

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved supporting device for a garment display form, such as a hosiery display form, which device maybe secured to the form over the garment and. held tightly thereon without injuryto the garment. f

Some hosiery display forms have been 'de; signed so that the foot portion has a higharched instep shaped to simulate a human foot positioned as if in a high heeled shoe,

Such forms necessarily, when in upright position, stand with the bottom of the heel considerably raised above the level of'the tread or forward po rtion of'the foot. One important feature of the invention resides in a detachable supporting means adapted to e brought into engagement withthe display form to hold the form in upright position without covering more than a fractional portion of the foot of the form. As illustrated, this supporting device has the general shape of a shoe heel and is provided with an outwardly extending base plate by means of which tilting of the form is largely avoided. Means are provided for securing this heelshaped supporting device to the form'so as to underlie the heel portion of the foot.

In accordance with features of the invention, the utility and attractiveness of the supporting device are greatly increased by providing it with adjustable means whereby it may be't'ightly secured to the display form and by concealing these means within the supporting device. As herein illustrated, the supporting device is fashioned in the general shape of a shoe heel, and has a base plate which tends to prevent 'upset of the form. The top of the heel block is cupped or recessed to receive andclosely engage the bottom of the heel of a hosiery display form and is further recessed to receive a movable gripping member .having an open-ended undercut groove whereby it may be brought into engagement with a complementallyshaped block secured to the bottom of the display form inside the stocking by sliding engagement and then drawn into the recess of the support to press the latter into tight engagement with the display form.

It is important that the device should be arranged so that it may be utilized in connection with existing forms of this type, and to this end the illustrated form has, as a securing member, an undercut block which is first secured to the under side of the hosiery v display form before a stocking is drawn over the form. A grooved gripping member with in the recess of the supporting device is made of smooth metal so that the cupped supporting block may be moved from the rear forwardly to engage the groove gripping member without injury to the stocking and at the same time to bring the cupped portion of the supporting device into close relation with the bottom of theform.

In accordance with still other features of 7 the invention, such supporting devlces are in upright position.

made still more useful by providing each of them with a metal base plate extending outwardly from the bottom of the supporting device a short distance so as thereby to resist tilting movement of the form and the supporting device. As'illustrated, this plate is circular and is utilized for drawing the grip ping member into the recess of the-supporting device by connecting it to a screw which is threaded into the gripping member so that by turning the plate the gripping member is drawn into the recess against the tension of an enclosed spring, thereby to pull the supporting device into tight engagement with the bottom of the form and with the added advantage that no matter what position of adjustment the plate may assume as finally applied, it will still be properly positioned to afford maximum resistance to upset of the form.

These and other features of the invention are more fully described in the following s1 eeification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away and in section showing a hosiery dis-' play form witha supporting device firmly attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a similar view on a larger scale of'the foot portion of the form and of the supporting device showing the latter in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the supporting device on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the gripping member received within the supporting device.

My novel supporting device 10 is herein illustrated as applied to a hosiery display form 11 made up of liquid pyroxylin applied to a fabric foundation 12 over a foot piece 14 which is allowed to remain'in the finished form, thereby weighting the lower portion of the form to assist in maintaining its balance Such a form may be made by molding celluloid or like material on a model comprising a collapsible leg form (not shown) to which is secured the foot piece 14, and after the celluloid has set, by removing the collapsible leg form through the opening 16 of the top of the form within the inturned flanges 18. It will be noted that the particular form illustrated is provided with a high arched instep portion 20 so that it simulates the shape of a foot when within a high heeled shoe, and, accordingly, makes the form useful for insertion within such a shoe when it is desired to display both stockings and shoes. At the same time, the shape of Y the foot is substantially more graceful than as if the bottom of the foot were flat.

To the bottom of this form there is first applied a securing member in the form of an elongated rubber block having undercut sides 32 and secured to the bottom of the display form as by means of wood screws 34. After such a securing member has been applied to the display form, a stocking 36 is drawn over the form and any surplus tucked into the opening 16 at the top of the form.

To assist in holding such a form in upright position, I have provided the supporting device 10 comprising a columnar block 40 having the general shape of a Cuban heel but preferably provided with plane, lateral surfaces 42, 44 connected by a curved upper rear portion and also having a fiat rear surface 46 and a flat surface 48 at the breast of the heel block; The upper surface of this supporting block 40 is cupped at 50 corresponding in shape to the bottom of the heel portion ofthe form 11 and is also cut away to provide a rectangular recess 52 in which is received a securing or gripping member 54 (Figs. 3 and 4). i The top of the metal block used in making the gripping member 54 is provided with an undercut groove 56. the end edges of which are rounded both as viewed in plan in Fig. 4 and as viewed in vertical section in Fig. 2 so'as to prevent any possible abrasion of the stocking 36 where it overlies the rubber securing member 30. As a consequence the supporting device 10 with this gripping member 54 may be brought into engagement with the securing member 30 on the form by sliding movement from the rear forwardly to cause the undercut block 30 to enter the groove 56 of the grippingmember 54. At the same time the cupped surface 50' of the block 40 will be so related to the bottom of the form that it will move smoothly into a position at which the highest part of the rear end of the block contacts with the stocking on the form.

'Still tighter engagement of the supporting device with the stocking on the form is effected by pulling the gripping member 54 into the recess 52 of the supporting device. To this end a threaded stud 60, the lower end of which is riveted in a circular base plate 62, is threaded at its upper end in the gripping block 54. A spring 64. surroundin this stud 60 and located in a suitable recess in the block 40. is compressed when the threaded stud 60 is rotated by rotating the plate 62 to draw the gripping member down into the .recessof thesupporting device and accordingly to press the supporting device into tight engagement with the bottom of the form. When the plate 62 is rotated in the opposite direction the spring 64 presses the block 54 upwardly to a position for convenient engagement with the securing member 30 and relieves the frictional engagement between the supporting device and the form so that the supporting device may be readily removed from the form by sliding movement toward the rear. It is found that a pleasing effect is secured by finishing the supporting block to imitate mahogany and giving the plate 62 a dark brown color.

It willbe apparent, therefore,that the plate 62 serves not only to assist in drawing the supporting device into tight engagement with the form but also provides an outwardly extending base plate which will resist tiltingmovement of'the form to a. very substantial extent. It is-found by trial that the relative dimensions i1 ustrated are such that the form must be tilted to a very considerable angle before the center of gravity is sufficiently displaced to cause the upset of the form. g

The circular outline of the supporting plate 62 is also advantageous because no matter to what position the plate has been turned in adjusting the supportingdevice, it will always be equally effective in resisting tilting movement of the form.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A supporting device for a hosiery display form having a cup-shaped upper surface adapted to underlie the heel portion of the form, and a movably mounted adjus able block for securing said supporting device with its upper surface closely in engagement with the heel end only of said display form over the stocking thereon without injury to the stocking.

2. A supporting device for a hosiery display form adapted to underlie the heel portion of the form, and comprising a substantially heel-shaped member, a vertically mov able gripping member adapted to engage depending portion of the form, and an outwardly extending base plate operatively connected to said gripping member to move it.

3. A supporting device for a hosiery display form'adapted to underlie the heel portion of the form, said dev1ce comprising a substantiallyheel shaped member having an outwardly extending base, and means operatively connected to said base for securing said supporting device in locking engagement with said display form outside of the stocking thereon. I

4. A supporting device for a hosiery display form adapted to underlie the heel por tion of the form, said supporting device comprising a substantially heel-shaped support ing member, a base plate movably attached to said supporting member, and movable means for securing the supporting device to the form constructed and arranged to be on erated by movement of said base plate with respect to said supporting member.

5, A supporting device for a hosiery display form comprising a recessed supporting member, separate means substantially concealed'within the recess of said member for gripping the heel portion of said form and screw means for moving said gripping means ing said supporting device to said display form to hold the form erect, a spring tending to expel said gripping means, and means operating the said gripping means for drawing together said. form andsaid supporting member againstthe action of said spring. 7 7. A heel supporting device for a hosiery display "form having stocking thereon com prising a heel block provided with an undercut member adapted to coactwith a complementally shaped member on the form to hold the supporting device and the form in inter- 7 locked relation, and means for adjusting the position of said undercut memberwith respect to the heel block to draw the form and bloclr together.

8. A supporting device for a hosiery displayform adapted to underlie a portion of said display form, said supporting device having a holding member movably mounted thereon and constructed and arranged to grip the display form without injury to the stocking on said form,and means for adjusting the heightwise position of said holding member to secure the supporting device to the dis- Play form. v I I 9. A detachable supporting device for a display form adapted to becovered with a garment'an'd adapted to be secured to the form outside ofthe garment, said supporting device comprising a substantially heelshaped supporting member having a recess formed therein to receive a movable member constructed and arranged to co'act with a portion of the display form without injury to the garment thereon, and means for adjusting the position of said movable member in said recess to draw the supporting member into tight engagement with the garment on the form.

10. A supporting device adapted to be. attached to a garmentdisplay form outside of the garment on the form, comprising. a supporting block having a recess, amovable memher'within said recess havingundercut portions adapted to coact with a complemental member upon the display form, and means for adjusting the position of said movable member thereby to hold the supporting device to the display form. V

11. A heel supporting device for a hosiery display form having stocking thereon, comprising a heel block provided with a recess, an undercut member movable in said recess adapted to coact with 'a complementallyshaped member on the form, and screw its whereby rotation of the plate to adjust the P bi means for adjusting the position of said member thereby to draw the heel block into tight engagement with the stocking on the form.

A heel supporting device for a hosiery display form adapted to be brought into c ose engagement with the stocking on sald 7 iorm without injury to the latter, comprising a cupped heel block adapted to fit closely the bottom oi the heel of the form, a recess in said cupped surface of the block, a movable ripping member in said recess adapted to be brought intosecuring engagement with a portion of said form without injury to the stocking on the form, a plate at the bottom of said form, and means secured to said plate for drawing the gripping mem her into the recess of the heel block thereby to pull the block into tight engagement with the stocking on the form.

13 A heel supporting block for a hosiery display form adapted to be brought into holding relation thereto without injury to the stocking thereon, comprising a heel bloclrhaving a recess in its upper surface, a gripping member movably mounted in said re cess adapted to grip a portion of the form with a stocking interposed therebetween, a spring tending to expel said gripping memher from the recess of the block, a screw passing through said block and threaded in said gripping member, and a plate rotatably mounted at the bottom of said block secured to said screw. I

14:. A heel supporting device for a hosiery display form comprising a heel block, a movable gripping member mounted thereon, and means for actuating said gripping member comprising a circular supporting plate rotatably mounted at the bottom of said form gripping member does not change the relation of the periphery of the plate to the heel block.

15. In combination, a hosiery display form, a securing member for attachment to said form and adapted to be covered by a stocking on the form, a supporting device for said display form having a movable gripping member constructed and arranged to cooperate with said securing member in attaching the supporting device to the display form, and an operating screw for said gripping member. 7

16. In combination, a hosiery display form having a high arched instep portion to sim ulate the shape of a human foot when the foot is in a high heeled shoe, a detachable supporting block adapted to be brought into engagement with the display form to hold the form in upright position without covering more than a small fractional portion of l e foot of the form, and means car ied by said block which upon movement in one direction causes the form to be locked in engagement with the block and upon movement in another directionallows the block to be detached from the form. V

17 In combination, a hosiery display form having a high arched instep portion to simulate the shape of a human foot when the foot is in a high heeled shoe, and a supporting device constructed and arranged for attachment to the form over the stocking thereon at the heel portion of the "form to hold the form upright.

18. In combinatiorna hosiery display form having a high archedinstep portion to simulate the shape of a human foot when the foot is in a high heeled shoe, and a heelshaped supporting member having an outwardly extending base plate and adapted to be secured to the heel portion of the form over the stocking thereon.

19. In combination, a hosiery displaypform having aprojecting securing member-covered by a stocking displayed on the form, a

supporting device recessed to receive a mov-' supporting device for said display device,

one of said devices being provided with a portion formed as a projection having undercut sides and the other with a portion having an undercut groove tightly to receive said projection whereby said supporting device may be brought into holding engagement with said display device with the stocking interposed between the projection and the groove and uninjured by said engagement, one of said portions being displaceable relatively to its device, and a spring urging said displaceable portion to a position for easy interengagement of said devices.

21. In combination, a hosiery display form having an elongated securing member fastened to a lower portion of said form and adapted to support a stocking on the form overlying said securing member, a supporting device for said display form provided with an adjustably mounted holding member having an elongated portion adapted to be slipped into engagement with said elongated securing member with the stocking interposed between the two, and means for adjusting said holding member to secure the supporting device to the display form.

22. In combination, a display form adapted to be covered by a garment, a supporting device adapted to be secured to the display form, means for holding said form and said device together comprising a rubber block on one of said members and a grooved block on the other of said members constructed and arranged to be brought into securing relation, and means for moving one of said blocks relatively to the member on which it is mounted after the blocks have been brought into securing relation to press the supporting device into tight engagement with the display form.

23. In combination, a hosiery display form and a supporting device therefor provided 7 with complementally shaped portions carried by said members respectively and adapted to be brought into interlocking engagement with each other, and means for thereafter adjusting the position of one of said portions with respect to the member by which it is carried to hold the heel supporting device firmly on the display form.

24. In combination, a hosiery display form adapted to be covered with a stocking, a supporting device adapted to be held against the bottom of the heel portionof the form outside of the stocking, said form andsaid supporting device having interlocking members adapted to be brought into interlocking engagement with the stocking interposed between the two, one of said members being movably mounted on the member with which it is associated and concealed means for actuating said movably mounted member to tighten the engagement between the supporting device and the display form and for moving said member in the opposite direction to separate the supporting device and the display form.

25. In combination, a hosiery display form adapted to be covered with a stocking, a supone of said interlocking members and con structed and arranged upon movement relatively to the supporting device to tighten the engagement between said interlocking devices, thereby to hold the supporting device firmly on the display form.

26. In combination, a hosiery form adapted to be covered with a stocking, a supporting device adapted to underlie the heel and to be secured in firm engagement with the stocking on the form, said supporting device having a cupped top portion for close engagement with the heel portion of the form, and coacting members upon the heel portion of said form and in the cupped portion of said supporting device constructed and arranged to allow the supporting device to be moved from the rear toward the front to cause engagement of the coacting members,

the stocking being interposed between the two, and to bring the cupped portion of the supporting, device into close engagement with the form.

27 In combination, a hosiery display form adapted to be covered with a stocking, and a detachable supporting device adapted to be secured in tight engagement with the heel part of the form, said supporting device compressing a columnar member having a cupped upper end and a plate extending outsupporting device with the form,:and a circular plate at the bottom of the supporting device connected to said movable means.

29. A supporting device for a'hosiery display form adapted to be substantially covered with a stocking and having a high arched instep portion to simulate the shape of a human footwlren the foot is in a high-heeledshoe, said supporting device comprising a heelshaped columnar block having'a concaved uppersurface shaped to fit accurately the elevated convexheel portion of the display form over the stocking without injuring a stocking on the form, and means for locklng said device to said form with its upper sure ace inengagement "with said heelportion alone to hold upright said display form.

30. A supporting device for a hosiery dis- .play form-adapted to be substantially covered with a stocking and having a convex heel portion comprising a columnar block having a cupped upper surface for engaging the convex heel portion of the form, an undercut holding member substantially concealed within the block and movable therein, said holding member being constructed and arranged to underlie and engage the heel portion of the display form and by movement relatively to the block to draw said convex heel portion into said cupped upper surface, thereby to hold the supporting. device in looking engagement with the heel portion of the display form over a stocking on the form without injuring the stocking, and means for holding said undercut member in form-locking position.

31. A supporting device for a hosiery display form comprising a supporting member,

a grlpping member thereon adjustable relatively to said device, said member being adapted upon movement in one direction to grip a portion of the display form and upon movement in another direction to draw said form tightly into engagement with said supporting. member,'and substantially concealed means for moving said gripping member in said last-named direction.

32. In combination, a hosiery display device adapted to be covered-by a stocking, a supporting device for said display device comprising a heel-shaped supporting block having a circular base plate rotatably mounted thereon, one of said devices having a portion provided with a projection and the other having an adjustable portion provided'with a groove whereby said supporting device may be brought into holding engagement with said display device with thestocking interposed between the projection and the groove and uninjured by said engagement, one of said portions being relatively 'displaceable, and a screw carried by said base plate for rel,- atively displacing the last-mentioned portion to draw together the display device and the supporting device.

33. In combination, a hosiery display form having a securing member adapted to be covered by a stocking displayed on the form, a supporting device having a base plate and a movable holding member, said holding member being constructed and arranged to grip the securing member, and screw means rigidly connected to said base plate and adjustably connected to said holding member, whereby movement of said base plate is effective to adjust the heightwiseposition of said holding member to secure the supporting device to the display form.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN w. LQNEY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,887,652. November 15, 1932.

JOHN W. LONEY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, lines 27 and 28, claim 24, for "actuating" read "moving", and in line 28, before "to" insert the words "in one direction"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of July, A. D. 1933.

M. J. Moore.

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

